Eyelet for boots or shoes.



No. 744,059. PATENIBD NOV. 1'7, 1903.

J. FRYE.

EYELBI' FOR BOOTS 0R SHOES APPLIOATIOH FILED lam-a, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

'"Illilil Nrren SATE .Patented November 17, 1903.

JAMES FBYE, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

EYELET FOR BOOTS OR SHOES..

$IPECIFIGATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,059, dated November 17, 1903.

Application filed December 3, 1902. Serial No. 133,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES FRYE, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Eyelets for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in eyelets for boots and shoes; and the object of the invention is to devise a cheap, durable,

and efficient eyelet by which boots and shoes may be laced without the necessity of passing the lace to theinside of the boot or shoe and which will not wear out or catch on the bottom of the skirt or trousers, as is the case with the ordinary hook-eyelets now commonly in use; and it consists, essentially, of an eyelet formed with a cross-bar. extending across the opening thereof, such eyelet being constructed as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure l is a view of a blank, showing what I consider the preferred form of making an eyelet. Fig. 2 is a View of the eyelet before being clamped in position. Fig. 3 is a view of the form of the eyelet when clamped in po-- sition. Fig. 4 is a cross-section showing the eyelet clamped in place on the leather. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the eyelet clamped in position on the leather. Fig. 6 is a view of the eyelet from a point substantially at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a boot, showing it provided with my improved eyelets.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A is the blank, which has a cross-bar a stamped or formed up and tongues a at each side of the cross-bar also stamped or formed up in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be noticed that the cross-bar ais curved in cross-section and has a curved connection to'the rim a of the eyelet. The cross-bar ais also arched in form longitudinally. By this form it will be seen that the lace may be readily inserted over the rim and through the eyelet and over the opposite rim. The eyelet is fastened in position, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4., and 5, by the usual riveting-machines, which turn the tongues a outwardly underneath the leather at the edge of the slot B,which, it will be noticed, is substantially oblong in form and is provided with preferably straight sides I). On this account it will therefore be seen that the eyelet will be held in position from turning. The dotted lines in Fig. 5 represent the tongues.

Such an eyelet as I describe and having the cross-bar, as shown, serves as a ready means for lacing the boot or shoe, as the tabs of the laces may be readily inserted over the rim of the eyelet, underneath the cross-bar, and then over the rim again, so as to bring the laces in the usual cross form, as indicated in Fig. 7. An eyelet so formed will, it will be seen, on account of the cross-bar being very little above the rim 0. of the eyelet not interfere with the skirt or trousers of the wearer and not be liable to wear them or catch on them, as is the case where hook-eyelets areemployed. The lace also being entirely outside the shoe will not, as in cases where the plain eyelets are used, form lumps inside of the shoe,which would be detrimental to the comfort of the wearer.

It will be noticed that the tongues of depend from the inner edges of the rim and are located opposite the side edges of the arch. The tongues have their centers in a vertical plane passing transversely through the center of the arch.

What I claim as my invention is An eyelet comprising a circular rim having an. integral arched cross-bar with openings along the opposite edges of the said cross-bar and with integral curved tongues depending from the inner edge of the rim, said curved tongues having their centers in a vertical plane passing transversely and centrally through the arch, substantially as described.

' JAMES FRYE. Witnesses:

B. BOYD, M. MCLAREN. 

